It has come to my attention that people will often find themselves doing amazing things after finding themselves in challenging situations. Take for instance this family i know. Their son Keegan had cancer…and life got pretty challenging not only for Keegan but for his whole family. Keegan lives with his parents and he has a younger sibling and an older sibling. Living in a rural area means that when you have cancer treatments you often have to do a lot of traveling to and from bigger cities that have the facilities that you can not necessarily get in your own small town. This not only puts a financial hardship on families but it also creates many opportunities for separation of family members. It is difficult to be able to work a job or two, balance the physical and emotional needs of all the family members and still find the extra energy to take care of yourself. Those are issues this family understands, the stress of it all, as they have been through it themselves.

This particular family has gotten through all of that and they decided, as a family, to give back to others going through similar situations. They were blessed over and over again by friends, family members and even total strangers during all of the trials they faced while going through testing and treatments. They have decided to form a non profit to help others. To get the non profit status, they must raise funds to file all of the necessary paperwork with the state and federal government.

This week they are doing an online auction on their Facebook page Team Keegan If you believe in doing good things, in taking a challenge and using it to bless others…won’t you visit their page and bid on some of their donated items? I believe there are wonderful items such as: a child’s wooden rocking horse, a picture hand-created by Keegan, a sock monkey in a hospital robe, baby chickens, a hand-sewn American made fabric purse, a tote bag with a swaddling blanket and burp rag and a photo package from a local photographer. This is a fundraiser…and they are planning on doing good things to bless other children and their families facing medical challenges.

If you have ever known someone who has faced cancer then you know just how important support can be. Please help this family achieve their dream of becoming a non-profit organization who reaches out to others in need. Thanks for being willing to read this far. Now won’t you go visit their page at Team Keegan ?

Tonight there is going to be a historic program on television called Stand Up 2 Cancer on the major television networks, ABC<NBC<CBS. They are working together in an unprecedented event to raise awareness and funds to fight the fight against cancer. It is an amazing effort, which was planned to be the beginning of the end, of the horrible plaque on the earth called cancer.

The statistics are horrendous…we lose one person per minute or 1,500 people a day to cancer…that is unacceptable. Join the program tonight starting at 8pm on the major networks…will be journalists, music, celebrities and stories that will amaze you. Please stop what you are doing and make a commitment to be a part of history and join the effort to bring an end to cancer. Dig deep and pledge money, pledge awareness, pledge your time, skills, talents; and, more importantly pledge to care! We have lost too much… lost too many people to allow this disease to continue to rob us of those lives. Each of those who were lost has family, friends, communities who feel cheated. It could be you or one of your friends or family members next…please get involved in the fight to stand up 2 cancer!

I love this song…how to save a life…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cqJJ-u0nog&NR=1 You can help save lives by watching and committing to the battle to stand up to cancer tonight at 8 pm on the three major television networks. Be there if you dare to make an impact! Update: StandUp2Cancer raised over $100 million dollars for research and development of experimental therapy for cancer patients! Just amazing what can happen when people join together for the good of mankind.

Suicideis not a pleasant subject. It is a word that makes most people cringe. People who have lost a loved one to suicide cringe too; they have more of a reason to be disturbed by the word. Most of us don’t stop to think about suicide death on a daily basis…but maybe we should. For those directly affected by a suicide…it is an especially difficult thing, to grieve…because there are so many added things to work through.

Loss is one thing; that is bad enough…but, add to that… justifiable feelings of abandonment, anger, denial, financial distress, shame, isolation, shock and even rage for being rejected by the loved one; for something as unknown and final as death, many times without any warning that suicide was being considered.

It is a hard subject to talk about because studies often have shown a correlation to discussions about suicide and the rates of suicides that have increased after say a media interview or article that is published in a large viewership. So how do you address such a terrible thing as suicide without taking the risk of an outbreak of suicides? I am not sure…but i do know…that listing some of the signs or risk factors is important…because it is possible to at least become aware of some signals that may alert friends or family to a person who is contemplating taking their own life.

Some of the obvious signs are: sudden changes in personality or behaviors, drug or alcohol use, life changes such as loss of job or marriage, verbal comments such as life isn’t worth living…, depression, neglecting personal well-being or appearance, loss of interest in things the person previously enjoyed, extreme mood swings, sleeping excessively, giving away precious things, avoiding close friends or family, isolating themselves, gaining or loosing noticeable weight without trying, lack of effort at school or job, listless, a feeling of hopelessness or failure, lots of negative or sad comments, focussing on negative circumstances and obsessing about them.

There are times when people are more at risk than others, for some it is during their teenaged years if they struggle with acceptance and sometimes depression, for others it is in middle age when possible sudden life changes are perceived as failures or loss such as divorce or forclosure, the elderly are often at risk of suicide because of health issues, isolation from friends and family and many times because of financial issues. It is important to remember that some medications carry the risk of increased thoughts of suicide…so talk to your doctor about these issues if there is any concern at all.

All ages and sexes are at risk of a potential suicide. People must get better at listening to each other; and, they need to stay connected by communication on a regular basis. No one wants to think of friends or family doing the unthinkable; but, it can happen to anyone.

Many people try to respect people’s privacy and back off when in fact, it is at these times that they are needed more than ever. Fear of not knowing what to say or do is common. When in doubt…it is always best to contact a professional. Here is a national hotline to contact if you or someone you know is dealing with the idea or fear of suicide: 1-800-273-TALK.www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

The impact of suicide is long lasting on those survivors who are left behind. Every life that can be saved is a gift…every person has value. We must begin to find ways to open the opportunities to share with one another the hurts and disappointments in life and find ways of overcoming the effects of those things in our lives and in the lives of people that we care about. Do you know someone who was able to turn the corner and avoid the tempation of suicide? How did they do it? Do they share with others about their experience? Many people in schools, nursing homes, and professionals in your local communities could benefit from that knowledge so that they can help others. How can those experiences benefit others?

Today I went to a mother/daughter celebration sponsored by a church ladies group. I celebrated motherhood with two of my daughters and with my granddaughter as well as my mother and one of my sisters. It was great. We had a good time, we took pictures, we played games had good music and food…but, the biggest gift was just the opportunity to spend time together.

My mother has had a very difficult couple of years with health issues. I was gifted with a good and loving mother. I try to make it a point to say and show how much she is loved and needed. I could have lost her several times in the last several years…so, i dont want to waste any time that i have with my mom.

I think how fortunate I am. Mother’s day is meant to be a celebration but sometimes it is very painful. For those who have lost their mothers or for those from dysfunctional homes…mother’s day can be painful. For parent’s who have lost their children…mother’s day..is a reminder of the lack of future and present time with their deceased children.

Fathers and husbands are parents because of their wives…the mother of their children…celebrate them—no they aren’t your mother…but you chose them to be the mother of your children so honor them. It doesn’t have to be an expensive gift…just acknowledge the importance of what they do…day in and day out!

So, if you are lucky enough to have a mother figure in your life….feel blessed…share your day with someone who doesn’t if you know they are hurting. Say a prayer for those who are lonely or sad on this special holiday. If you need to mend fences with a mother/step mother; and, it is a healthy or safe thing to do; do so (if it will cause no further harm to you or her) then, mend those fences. Life is too short. You never know how long you will have with the mother or mother figure you have in your life…dont find yourself with a plate full of regrets or should’ve, would’ve, could’ve done this or that. Most of all, connect with the special people in your life! Tell them what they mean to you.